The people at Hyundai are full of self-belief. They have been working and re-working on the existing brand of Verna. And, from 2006 onwards they have been toying around with the same machine. Are they caught up in time? Or are they too happy with the Hyundai Verna sales? Well, whichever the case may be, clearly the car did cover some ground in the Indian market and, it seems, still has some potential. So, this time after the 2006 and 2011 launches, Hyundai India has come up with the 4S Fluidic Verna 2015. The “4S” stands for style, safety, speed and sophistication.
The car, so to say, has had a facelift. Though, it takes some effort to figure out what exactly brings this facelift. Yes, there aren’t any major changes. That said, amateurs can stop reading too much into the word ‘facelift’. Rather, take the new vehicle at face value. And, the virtuosos can probably get deep into it. For yes, full marks to Hyundai for keeping an eye on the minute details. So, the new boomerang shaped fog lights, concealed exhaust, projector headlamps and wing-shaped grille are just a few of the minor changes one can notice on a closer look.
The interior of the Verna is almost identical to the model it replaces, save for the Ergo lever on the front passenger seat. This novel feature lets the rear passenger adjust the front seat for adequate leg room space. Something in which Verna has not been able to match up to City. Further, there is a little touch-up to make the seats a tad bit more comfortable.
The top-end variant of the new Verna gets new features like a 6-speaker audio system with 1 GB of internal storage.
To cater to the safety quotient, the makers have added 6 airbags, and Anti-lock Braking System. However, as far as the engine is concerned, it houses the same old 1.4 and 1.6-litre diesel and petrol engine. The 6-speed manual and 4-speed automatic gearbox brings in that extra punch. And, even at higher speeds you feel in control. The new Verna offers better suspension so that you don’t feel that thud every time you hit a pothole.
You can’t complain much about the Verna’s performance in city driving. While the mileage of the petrol variants remain largely unchanged, the diesel variants do offer better fuel economy with the 1.4 -litre giving 24.8km/l and 1.6-litre giving a 23.9 km/l average.
All in all, the Verna, in the past, has brought some accolades for Hyundai. It has been a hit in several countries. Riding high on the praise the makers are hoping with this 2015 model to work the magic all over again. But it remains to be seen how the latest model fares in the Indian market, considering the increased competition.
